Life is about to get much more difficult for lobbyists and their clients. New York City has enacted a number of significant amendments to the Lobbying Law, which, most notably, expand the definition of lobbying, alter the financial threshold that triggers reporting requirements, carve out specific rules for architects and engineers, and create a new enforcement regime. See Admin. Code §§3-211.
These changes to the Lobbying Law are not unexpected. In fact, they are the culmination of efforts first begun in 2006, when the city last amended its lobbying laws. At the time, the law called for the creation of a joint Lobbying Commission, which was established in February 2011 by Mayor Michael Bloomberg and City Council for the purpose of evaluating the effectiveness of the city’s lobbying regulation and the performance of the City Clerk’s Office in enforcing the laws. The commission’s conclusions and recommendations resulted in these most recent amendments. Notably, the new law calls for a similar review to be initiated between 36 and 48 months after the new law takes effect.
